I knew as soon as I posted that last post Satan would be working overtime to discourage me.

Since Sunday, I’ve realized I have to be extra cautious to guard my heart during this time and not allow Satan to have any say in anything.

Unlike us, Jesus did not suffer from the fear of failure. This is because he never entertained the thought that He couldn’t do something His Father had already assured Him He could.

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Phil. 4:13

This verse has been a family favorite from generation to generation in my family. My maternal grandmother left the USA in her 20’s to serve God as a foreign missionary in Brazil. Living overseas in a foreign land, supporting the ministry of her husband and raising four small children was anything but easy for my grandmother. She drew her strength from God and clung to this verse on many occasions.

I see my grandmother as a very strong person. Not in the physical sense, since she is 80-years-old, but in the spiritual sense. She depended on her strength coming from the Lord and God was always faithful to provide her with specifically what she needed each and every day.

She told us this story not to long ago:

One evening she was at home, alone with her four small children, while my grandfather was out of town (which was very common as he traveled alot). She received a call that a basketball team needed a place to stay for the night and she was asked if they could stay in her home! My grandmother said yes, with one condition. A woman had to come along too because her husband was out of town.

Turns out that night as the basketball players slept in places all over the house, a burglar tried to enter the house.

One of the players heard the burglar trying to enter and was able to make his presence known so the burglar fled.

God sent those basketball players to protect my grandmother and her four children that night.

There are countless more stories my grandmother could tell about the years spent as a missionary in Brazil.

There would be one resounding theme throughout all the stories: My grandmother had her faith in Jesus Christ and relied on His strength to pull her through many situations. God was always faithful.

I want my IVF story to end the same way. I want, more than anything, to walk this road with my strength coming from the Lord because I know if I walk in my own strength, I will fail miserably.

- Elaine